Last Chance
by coonassblondie
Summary: Daria has one last chance to do something before she leaves for college.  Rated M for the ending scene.  Warnings:  Frottage.


**Disclaimer: Daria and all of it's characters belong to MTV. I'm not making any profit from this work of fiction, it is done simply for my and any readers' enjoyment.**

**A/N: Just a one-shot here, let me know what you think. Rated M for some frottage.  
**

Brown eyes blinked open, glancing around at the padded walls of the room.

_Today is the day. _

The first cognizant thought of the morning, and the butterflies in her stomach had already erupted. This was her deadline, her last chance. She would be leaving for Boston in the morning, hopefully never to permanently return. Oh, sure, she would return for short trips to visit her family, but ultimately, after tonight this would no longer be her bedroom. She glanced around at the bare furniture, finally coming to rest on the stack of boxes stacked neatly by the door, waiting patiently to be hauled to her dorm room. Today was her last chance, and she was determined to take it.

As she pulled her boot on and began to lace it up, she heard the house phone ring, and the low sound of her father answering.

"Daria! Phone for you!"

She made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen to take the cordless from Jake with a slight smile. The kitchen smelled surprisingly good, despite the fact that Jake had been trying one of his infamous culinary experiments. Deciding that her gastro-intestinal system couldn't take any surprises this morning, she took the phone back upstairs with her, holding it up to ear.

"Hey, amiga, what's up?"

"Uhhhh, hey, Daria." came a soft, hoarse voice from the other end.

"Oh, hey, Trent. I saw the number on the caller ID and assumed it was Jane. You know what they say about assuming…" Daria trailed off, not knowing quite where to take the conversation. She'd been gearing herself up to talk to him for two solid weeks, and when she finally had him on the phone, her throat went dry and her mind went blank.

"Oh, heh. Yea. So, what are you doing today? Janey has disappeared, something about her portfolio and express mail."

"Yep, sounds like Jane to hold off sending her acceptance art to BFAC the last day of summer vacation. I'm not doing much, you?"

"Well, I'm kinda hungry. I called to see if you wanted to go get a slice with me, I'll even pay."

"Wow, I'm flattered. Can you pick me up?" Daria grinned uncharacteristically, glad that Quinn was nowhere near to witness her stupid smile.

"Sure, I'll be there in ten."

* * *

Daria hurried down the stairs and returned the phone to the kitchen with a small spring in her step. She let her parents know she was going to lunch with a friend, and escaped out of the front door before they could interrogate her. Nine and a half minutes later, Trent rumbled to the curb in front of her house, and Daria escaped unscathed.

They rode to Pizza King in a companionable silence, and Daria staked out a semi-private booth while Trent ordered their pie. Now was the perfect opportunity, if she could work up the nerve to bring the subject up.

Trent joined her in a few moments with a large pepperoni and pineapple pie, and two cokes. They each took a slice, and simultaneously took the first, large bite out of their respective meals. Daria was instantly relaxed, she had always maintained that pizza was a cure-all. She got halfway through her slice, and set the remainder on her plate, bolstered by the grease that her system had infused.

"Trent, can I ask you a personal question?"

Trent cocked a brow as he finished off his slice and washed it down with a swig of his soda before replying with a short nod. He folded his arms onto the table and leaned forward, giving her his undivided attention. Daria found this a bit disconcerting, and felt her neck begin to tingle as she cleared her throat.

"Have you ever wanted to ask someone for a favor, but didn't quite know how to go about it?" Daria asked, her eyes focused on her lap where her fingers were picking at the pleats in her skirt.

"Not really, Daria. Are you needing to ask me for a favor? You know I'd do anything for a friend." Trent replied as he took her free hand in his. Daria was surprised at how soft his hand was, even though his fingertips were calloused.

"In a way, I suppose so. You see, I'm leaving first thing in the morning for Raft. I have no intention of coming back permanently, and I'm not sure when my next visit will be…"

Trent moved to sit in the seat next to her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Ah, so you wanted to spend your last day with me? I'm flattered, really. Well, let's finish lunch and we'll hang out, 'k?"

Daria nodded in agreement, trying her best not to smile. Her plan was working out better than she expected.

* * *

Daria and Trent made their way down Dega street, stopping occasionally to look in shop windows. When they reached the music store, they stepped inside briefly so Trent could drool over a new axe.

"Someday, I'm going to be able to buy things like this." Trent said dreamily as he strummed the guitar.

"I'm sure you will. One day we will both be rich and famous, and we will return to Lawndale to visit the little people we had to step all over to gain our fame." Daria replied in her habitual monotone, not looking up from the drum set she was inspecting.

"We could be a duet, take our show on the road." Trent replied, grinning as he strummed the guitar again and set it back onto it's stand. "Let's leave the future for tomorrow, though, and enjoy today. You can step on the little people in Boston."

If Daria was surprised by Trent's sarcastic side, her face showed no indication of her emotion. She was determined to get to know him, especially before putting the next step of her plan into action. Her woolgathering was interrupted by the sound of Trent slapping the cymbal.

"Are you still with me, Daria?"

"Yes, just lost in thought, sorry."

"I thought long stares into space and silences was my forte," Trent replied, followed by a soft chuckle, ending in his hacking cough. The words were out of Daria's mouth before she could stop herself.

"Why do you cough like that?"

Trent stopped, his hand on the door, and turned to look at her over his shoulder, one brow raised in question.

"Sorry," Daria backpedaled, "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"Stop worrying so much, Daria," Trent grinned at her as he pushed the door open and held it for her as she walked out. As they continued down Dega street, Trent continued, "I guess the coughing is from so much loud singing, or screaming, take your pick, in smoky pubs. I don't smoke myself, other than once when I was a kid, I didn't like it. In this business, though, smoky bars are a reality."

"There aren't any other alternate venues?" Daria asked, genuinely curious. She had always wondered why Mystik Spiral always played crap gigs.

"Not without the aid of an agent, and I refuse to sell my integrity to some middle-aged middle-man who is only out to make a quick buck off someone else's talent. When we make it big, we'll be able to say we did it on our own merit."

Daria had to admit she respected his opinion, and knew that the values Trent held were what made him so unique, so likable. Daria blushed slightly at the last thought. Trent noticed the slight flush on her cheeks, but wisely kept that information to himself.

Trent had to admit he was insanely curious as to what Daria actually wanted with him, as he was fairly confident isn't wasn't to spend the afternoon window shopping. Considering she was leaving for at least three months, if not for good, the following afternoon, he could make a fairly educated guess at her motives. Trent, however laid back and easy-going he might seem on the exterior, was nobodies fool. He would do anything for Daria, but she had to work up the nerve and ask him. That didn't mean he couldn't encourage her a bit, though, he thought wickedly to himself as he grabbed her hand in his, pulling his middle finger back and rubbing her palm gently with it before pulling it out and squeezing her hand, grinning at the darkening flush on her cheeks as they wended their way further down the alley.

* * *

A couple of hours later, the unusual couple found themselves at the Zon, sharing a rickety table and waiting on an order of nachos. Daria noted that the place looked less like a bad goth club in the light of day and more like the hole-in-wall bar that it was. She wasn't sure if it was the lack of people or the lack of a live band, but it was considerably more quiet during the day.

"They have awesome nachos here." Trent said, making an effort to start a conversation.

"Oh, that's good," Daria replied, still looking around, not really hearing him.

"Alright, what's going on?" Trent asked, finally reaching his breaking point. He had broached several different topics over the course of the afternoon, from relationships to politics, in an effort to get Daria out of her shell, but she had only replied with monosyllabic words, much like when he'd first met her. Even though he had an inkling of her motives, he wanted verbal confirmation from Daria herself.

"What do you mean?" Daria replied, finally focusing on him and attempting to act nonchalant.

"You know what I mean. What do you want, Daria? I'm sure it wasn't window shopping and bad food. Are you wanting another piercing? A Tattoo? To get drunk? To get laid…" Trent had no sooner said the words when her eyes widened, her cheeks flushed and she yanked her hand back. She kept her gaze down as she replied,

"I know you think I'm just a kid, but there are things I'd like to experience before going away to college. I'd rather it be with someone I know and trust than some drunken frat boy. And, I know you are clean."

"Oh really, Miss Smarty Pants?" Trent asked, bemused. He _was_ clean, but he had to know exactly how _she_ knew that.

"Yea, you left your test results on the coffee table. Jane told me."

Trent chuckled as he used the back of his hand to rub his eyes. "Of course she did." He reached out with the same hand and hooked a finger under her chin, bringing her gaze up to meet his coal black gaze.

"Daria, if that's what you want, ask me. I won't promise to say yes, but I won't promise that I'll say no either. Give me that choice." He finished huskily, then cleared his throat. "Come on, I'll take you home. You can think about it there."

* * *

Daria lay across her bed, looking as if she were contemplating the cracks in the ceiling, but completely lost in thought. Trent wanted her to ask him, but every time she worked out what to say, she got the intense feeling that he didn't mean verbally. But what _did_ he mean? Daria could only think of one thing, and she didn't know if she _had_ enough nerve for that.

_Look at the bright side_, the small voice in her head argued,_ if it's a total disaster, you leave tomorrow and won't likely see him again for several months, if not longer._ With that thought in mind, she sat up and ran her fingers through her hair, giving herself a perfunctory once-over in the mirror before grabbing her boots.

A few minutes later, she found herself knocking on the door of the Lane household, still not entirely sure what she was going to say, if anything. A few minutes passed and she could hear someone fiddling with the lock on the other side. The door opened and as soon as she established that Trent was the person she was standing face to face with, she let her instincts take over and her arms were around his neck, her lips on his.

Trent simply grinned against her mouth as he pulled her closer to him, spun the both and kicked the door shut, and returned the kiss. He brushed his tongue lightly against her lips and felt her tense up, then relax as she slowly gave into his ministrations. He pulled away briefly, his eyes glittering as he smiled and said,

"I thought you would never ask."

Trent pulled away from her and led her by the hand toward his bedroom.

* * *

Daria awoke the next morning, aware that she was in a strange bed, but having a hard time placing her surroundings. She blinked slowly at the fuzzy black shape on the pillow next to her and turned to reach for her glasses, finally finding them on the floor folded into her skirt. Once her eyesight had been regained, she groaned internally when she saw who was sharing the bed, and the events of the previous day came back to her.

She realized the groan must have been out loud, as Trent turned toward her and blinked owlishly at her, then smiled softly,

"You ok?"

"For the moment, just a bit sore. I haven't gone home yet, and I didn't call and tell anyone where I was last night. My parents are going to freak."

"Contrary to popular belief, I _can_ be responsible, Daria. I called your house and told them you were staying with Janie, but were already asleep when I came in. Your mother took me at my word."

"Thank you, you're a life-saver," Daria breathed a sigh of relief as she smiled softly at him, "and thank you, for, well, you know…"

Trent sighed, and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder before it occurred to her that she was naked and tried to escape. In a voice much more serious than she was accustomed to hearing from him, he began to talk quietly in her ear, his warm breath on her cheek.

"When you leave this afternoon, I want you to remember something. You need to be confident, both in your abilities and as a woman. You are a beautiful person, both physically and intellectually. Now, repeat after me, I just had sex with Trent Lane."

"Ijsthdsxwthtrntln." Daria mumbled as she felt her cheeks flushing.

"Nope, won't do. You sound embarrassed. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Aren't you going to tell Jane? You should, she would be proud. I happen to know she's been sleeping with Jesse for two months now, where do you think she was yesterday? She shipped those art pieces off months ago. Now say it, I just had sex with Trent Lane."

"I just had sex with Trent Lane." Daria replied, quietly.

"Better, I understood you that time, at least." Trent pulled her closer to him and his right hand began to snake down her tummy towards her womanhood. "But Janey didn't hear you. Louder, I just had sex with Trent. I know you can get loud, you certainly did last night."

"I just had sex with Trent Lane!" Daria stated in her normal voice, noticing that she blushed a little less with each repetition. Perhaps if she talked about intercourse enough, she wouldn't be so embarrassed by the topic. Perhaps there was some merit to what Trent was telling her. Wasn't he the experienced one, after all? Perhaps if she cooperated, he would move…his…hand…

"That's much better, now I want you to shout it to the neighborhood," Trent egged her on as he ran one slender finger through her slit and it came to rest on her clitoris. He began to rub slow, maddening circles as she whimpered out, a bit louder,

"I just had sex with Trent!"

"That's a good girl, one last time before I make you come. You want me to make you come, don't you? I want you to shout it so loud that the next town hears you, Daria." At the moment he breathed her name into her ear, Daria came undone as her orgasm hit. She threw her head back onto his shoulder as she moaned loudly,

"I HAD SEX WITH TRENT LANE LAST NIGHT!"

She had just caught her breath when someone pounded on the bedroom door.

"I get it, you had sex with my brother! Can I sleep now?" Jane's irritated voice came through the door, "And congratulations!"

If Trent was surprised at the laughter that came bubbling out of Daria at Jane's interruption, he didn't show it. He simply smiled and held her as she laughed, enjoying the moment while he could.

* * *

To: .edu

From:

Hey there,

How's my favorite college girl? Tell Jane she's still my favorite sister, since I figure she's probably reading this over your shoulder. Thanks for setting up this electronic mail for me, it's pretty cool, especially for keeping in touch with friends far away. Do you think you'll come home for Christmas? I'm sure your family misses you, and I know of at least one friend that does. Let me know your plans when you get a chance to write back, I bet college life can be pretty busy. We've been writing some new songs, I'd kinda like to know what you think of them. Maybe there is some way we can put them on the computer? That would be wicked. Don't study too hard!

Your friend,

Trent

P.S.: If there is anything you need, you know who to ask.

Daria grinned to herself as she closed the internet browser on the library computer. Her parents had offered to buy her one of the new lap-top computers to have in her dorm room to do homework on, but she hadn't given them a straight answer. She liked using the library computers because of the quiet and the internet connection. She gathered her books and made her way back to her dorm room, lost in thought about where she was going to go during Christmas vacation, as she didn't cherish the thought of spending two weeks in the house with her parents or fashionista sister. Daria smiled as she recalled the post script of her e-mail, and ran up the stairs to her dorm to make a phone call.

Back in Lawndale, a duck phone began quacking, and amazingly, the owner picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?" Trent asked as he moved the top of the phone to rest on his shoulder as he methodically folded a basket of laundry. Janey leaving for college left a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, laundry seeming to be on of the never-ending ones.

"Hey, Trent. Can I ask a favor?"

Trent simply smiled.

**Let me know what you thought in a review! It would be much appreciated!**


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